Regulation

On Thursday (May 13), Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN) released its Q1 2021 Shareholder Letter and had its Q1 2021 Earnings Call and Q1 2021 Analyst Q&A Call. In this article, we highlight some of the more interesting comments made by CEO Brian Armstrong and CFO Alesia Haas. Support for Dogecoin CEO: “We plan to […]

Last Friday (May 7), Gary Gensler, the recently appointed Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), talked during an interview with CNBC about the need for “greater investor protection” in the crypto markets. According to a press release by the U.S. SEC, Gensler was “nominated to Chair the SEC by President Joseph R. […]

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says the ongoing lawsuit involving XRP is a threat to the innovation being generated by cryptocurrency. Last week, during an interview with Fox Business, the Ripple CEO talked about the lawsuit brought against his firm last December by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He said:  “It’s so important for […]

Li Bo, deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China (usually abbreviated to “PBoC” or “PBC”) recently called Bitcoin ($BTC) an “investment alternative.” According to a report by The Block, when asked last Sunday — during a panel hosted by CNBC at the Boao Forum for Asia — if China intended to maintain its stance […]

On Monday (April 19), Charles Hoskinson, Co-Founder and CEO of IOHK, the company responsible for building Cardano, explained why he believes that the Biden-Harris administration could introduce cryptocurrency-related legislation in the coming months. Hoskinson made these comments during a video he released on his popular YouTube channel yesterday. Hoskinson started by mentioning that according to a breaking […]

Many cryptocurrency fans were dismayed to discover on Friday (April 16) that Turkey’s central bank has banned the use of cryptoassets for payments. However, the author of The Bitcoin Standard says that this might be a blessing in disguise. According to a press release by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey that came […]

On Monday (April 5), on crypto exchange Bitstamp, the XRP price reached an intraday high of $0.72557 at 04:50 UTC. This is the highest price XRP has seen since February 1. According to data by TradingView, currently (as of 08:15 UTC on April 5), XRP is trading around $0.68584, which means that in the past […]

Earlier this week, Kevin Chen, an attorney at Homiak Law LLC, took a closer look at the “fair notice” defense used by Ripple Labs in the lawsuit (over the sale of XRP tokens) brought against it by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Homiak Law is “a full-service boutique law firm that specializes in […]

The legal team for Ripple co-founders Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen have argued investigations into personal finances are irrelevant to the SEC’s ongoing lawsuit.

The SEC says Ripple has acted “legally improper” in its fair notice defense against its pending lawsuit, while arguing against the blockchain company’s motion to dismiss the case.

The San Francisco-based FinTech firm Ripple has issued an official response to the allegations of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) allegations over the illegal sale of XRP.  According to court documents filed on March 4 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Ripple has adamantly refuted allegations put forth by […]

Former London Stock Exchange CEO Xavier Rolet called upon the UK government to leverage its independence from Brexit in order to create progressive policies on crypto-asset adoption.

On Monday (February 22), MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), made an important announcement regarding its partnership with Ripple Labs. Californian FinTech company Ripple announced on 17 June 2019 that it entered into a strategic partnership with MoneyGram, one of the world’s largest money transfer companies. Here is how Ripple’s blog post explained the deal: “Through this partnership, which will […]

In a recent interview, Mary Jo White, a former Chair of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York talked about the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple Labs. Ms. White is currently a litigation partner in the New York office of Debevoise & Plimpton, and […]

In a recent interview, Joseph A. Hall, a former executive at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), explained why “there’s a good chance” his former employer loses its lawsuit against Ripple Labs. Hall has been partner in U.S. law firm Davis Polk since September 2005. Before that, between October 2003 and June 2005, he was […]

Blockchain payments firm Ripple responded to allegations by the SEC regarding the illegal sale of XRP, inquiring why ethereum did not constitute a breach in securities law.

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz said the SEC has been historically backwards on crypto regulation, which has hurt retail investors.

Former Federal Reserve Chair Dr. Janet Yellen, the person widely expected to be the next U.S. Treasury Secretary, acknowledged the benefits of cryptoassets in her written response to one of the questions from Tuesday’s U.S. Senate confirmation hearing. Yellen “served as the Chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018, and as Vice Chair from 2010 to […]

On Thursday (January 21), Tom Jessop, President of Fidelity Digital Assets, talked during an interview about potentially upcoming regulations that the crypto community could expect to see under the Biden administration. On 15 October 2018, Boston-headquartered American multinational financial services company Fidelity Investments announced via a press release the launch of a new company, Fidelity Digital Asset Services, […]

A bitcoin whale transferred 12,598 BTC, worth roughly $500 million, in three anonymous transactions as the coin’s price surged above $40k.

On Thursday (January 7), Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, answered five of the most frequently asked questions about the action filed last month by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Ripple, himself, and Chris Larsen. As every XRP HODLer must know by know, on 22 December 2020, one day before former SEC Chairman Jay […]

A White House petition has generated more than 36,000 signatures asking the federal government to consider XRP as a currency.

On Friday (December 4), during an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box“, Brian P. Brooks, Acting Comptroller (since May) at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), said that “nobody is going to ban Bitcoin.” Brooks is currently also a member of the Board of Directors of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Between September 2018 and […]

This article looks at what Former Federal Reserve Chair Dr. Janet Yellen, the person who is expected to be the next U.S. Treasury Secretary, has said in the past about Bitcoin and blockchain technology. On November 23, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Yellen to become his secretary of […]

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has begun clamping down on US-based clients, giving them fourteen days to transfer their funds away from the platform.

On Friday (November 13), Cynthia Lummis, the newly-elected U.S. senator for the state of Wyoming, spoke about Bitcoin on live TV during an interview with ABC News. The 66-year conservative Republican, who was endorsed byPresident Donald Trump, was declared the winner of the U.S. Senate race in Wyoming on November 3, thereby becoming Wyoming’s first […]

Angel investor and former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan thinks the U.S. government will be forced to take action against bitcoin if the price continues to gain against the dollar.

U.S. stocks did well on Wednesday (November 4), with the Nasdaq Composite closing 3.85% higher. However, Bitcoin seems to be rallying even harder. This article tries to explain why both U.S. stocks and Bitcoin are going up. Although the election results in the U.S. are not quite clear yet and it might be some time […]

The European Central Bank (ECB) has asked the public to comment on the development of a digital euro, including the use of decentralization.  According to a series of tweets published by ECB President Christine Lagarde, the E.U.’s central bank is looking for feedback on a digital euro. Lagarde said the bank was exploring the possibility […]

The former head of the People’s Bank of China said the digital yuan would combat “dollarization” of the country’s economy.

Privacy-focused cryptocurrency Monero is up 200 percent year-to-date after reaching a 2-year price high on October 26.

During a recent interview at the (virtual) four-day DC Fintech Week 2020 conference (October 19-22, 2020), Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of FinTech firm Ripple talked about Bitcoin, XRP, and how the current regulatory climate in the U.S. affects cryptoassets. The interview with the Ripple CEO was on day one of the conference. (In the video […]

CFTC Commissioner Dan Berkovitz explained his background working with private clients interested in digital currencies and provided a take on the BitMEX complaint.

Earlier this week, Hester Peirce, whose renomination as Commissioner at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 6, spoke about regulatory challenges facing decentralized finance (DeFi). Commissioner Peirce’s remarks about DeFi while she was speaking with journalist Laura Shin on day one of the two-day (virtual) LA Blockchain […]

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), UK’s markets watchdog, banned the sale of crypto derivatives and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) for retail investors earlier this week, but a public consultation process saw 97% of participants oppose the ban. In a 55-page report by the FCA, responses from companies that sell derivatives, cryptocurrency exchanges, trade bodies, individuals, and […]

The UK’s markets watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has banned the sale of cryptocurrency derivatives and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) to retail investors. In an announcement, the FCA reveals it considers crypto derivatives and ETNs to be “ill-suited for retail consumers due to the harm they pose.” The regulator added that these products “cannot be […]

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the indictment that was unveiled yesterday (following McAfee’s arrest) charges him with “tax evasion and willful failure to file tax returns.” The DOJ’s press release says that this indictment (dated 15 June 2020) alleges that for the 2014-2018 period John David McAfee “failed to file tax return” […]

European Central Bank executive board member Fabio Panetta says the EU must begin preparing for the development of a digital Euro to compliment physical cash.

On Thursday (October 1), “Joe007”, a former well-known pseudonymous trader on Bitfinex, warned traders that following the recent action by CFTC against BitMEX, it might not be long before the SEC decides to take a closer look at Uniswap. On Thursday, the U.S Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it had brought charges against […]

Venezuela president Nicolas Maduro has introduced a new bill that will explore crypto-assets as an avenue for avoiding economic sanctions.

On Thursday (October 1), The U.S Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it had brought charges against “five entities and three individuals” that own and operate the crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX. CFTC’s press release (“Release Number 8270-20”) said that the agency had filed “a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern […]

Bank of New York Mellon has been accused of playing a role in the $4 billion Ponzi Scheme OneCoin, according to an updated court filing.

Cryptocurrency pioneer Chandler Guo says “one day everyone in the world” will use China’s state-backed digital yuan.

Russian authorities have blacklisted the website of major cryptocurrency exchange Binance, although access to it has not been blocked by the country’s telecom regulator Roskomnadzor. In an announcement Binance published on its Russian telegram channel, it reveals Roskomnadzor added the cryptocurrency exchange’s website to the register of platforms disseminating prohibited information, reportedly because of distribution […]

Russia’s Finance Ministry is drafting a new bill that would impose fines and up to three years in prison for crypto-asset investors who fail to properly disclose their holdings.

The Venezuelan government has published a new decree in the Official Gazette legalizing cryptocurrency mining, but with a catch: crypto miners have to use a national mining pool. According to local news website CriptoNoticias, the new decree was authorized by Joselit Ramirez, head of Venezuela’s National Superintendency of Crypto Assets and Related Activities (SUNACRIP). It […]

The Bahamas is set to launch the world’s first sovereign digital currency ahead of major world powers such as China.

India is reportedly planning on introducing a new law to ban cryptocurrency trading in the country, a move that would be a blow to the rapidly growing cryptocurrency scene in the country. According to Bloomberg, the new law is expected to be discussed shortly by the federal cabinet, before being sent to the country’s parliament. […]

Ethereum-based protocol Forsage continues to gain investment despite regulators warning that the project is a Ponzi scheme.

Financial services giant Mastercard has launched a platform to allow central banks and test firms test digital currencies.

Deepak Kapoor, founder of the Begin India Think Tank, says bitcoin should be traded like stocks and given the same legal protections.

Russian authorities have blocked BestChange.ru, a major cryptocurrency exchange aggregator in the country, shortly after lawmaker passed crypto legislation banning cryptocurrency transactions. The aggregator reportedly includes 400 local cryptocurrency websites and included information on exchange rates between different cryptoassets. It was blocked by Russian telecom regulator Roskomnadzor for “mentions of Bitcoin cryptocurrency,” an announcement on […]

Iran’s Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir) has reportedly shut down 1,100 unlicensed cryptocurrency mining farms in the country after being tipped off by whistleblowers. According to a report by the Financial Tribune, the firm is planning to reward whistleblowers with 100 million rials ($480) for cooperating with energy officials in identifying illegal cryptocurrency […]

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced charges against a blockchain-based jobs platform, Boon.Tech, and its chief executive officer, Rajesh Pavithran, over its failure to register their initial coin offering (ICO) token as a security and allegedly misleading investors. According to an announcement made by the agency, Boon.Tech and its CEO raised $5 […]

Grayscale Investments has voluntarily publicly filed a Registration Statement on Form 10 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its Ethereum Trust (ETHE) to obtain reporting status. If the filing is approved by the SEC, the Ethereum Trust will be the second cryptoasset investment vehicle ever to obtain the status of a reporting […]

A Czech National Bank board member has criticized the use of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) for raising more questions than answers and being another version of “helicopter money.”

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is letting nationally chartered banks in the U.S. provide custody services for cryptocurrencies, according to a public letter from Senior Deputy Comptroller and Senior Counsel Jonathan Gould.

Toronto-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinsquare has been accused of market manipulation by Canadian regulators after the company allegedly manipulated its trading volume. 

Malaysia’s Securities Commission (SC) has added popular cryptocurrency exchange Binance to its list of unauthorized companies, saying the platform is “operating a recognized market without authorization.”

The government and Bank of Japan are seriously considering issuing a central bank digital currency to replace the current yen, including a potential partnership with the U.S. and European countries.